Crimping apparatus



July 31, 1962 H. ESCH CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1958 R mu Ex WE Y5 Mh M E H 3,047,042 CBJG APPARATUS Henry Esch, Newark, Ohio, assignor to Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 768,763 4 laims. (Cl. 153-1) This invention relates to compression tools. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a tool for compressing sleeve-type connectors such as are used in forming compression connections between the ends of electrical conductors, terminal ends and conductors, and the like.

There are presently available on the market a wide variety of compression tools for producing compression of sleeve'type connectors of deformable material which are collapsed to form a mechanical bond between conductors, wires, etc., and the connector or terminal end, as the case may be. While these existing tools are effective to produce the desired ultimate result, namely compression of the-sleeves about the conductor, one inherent difiiculty with such existing compression tools has resulted from the fact that the compression type connectors with which they are used will vary in size, i.e., the inside and outside diameter of the connector will vary according to the size of the electrical conductor or the like to which it is applied. Since such compression tool s utilize dies to deform the connectors, it has been necessary for the suppliers of such tools to provide with each tool various sets of dies comprised of a series of complementary die parts, each of which is adaptable for use with a given size of connector. Die sets are expensive and in addition, much time must be devoted to changing die sizes each time the described compression tools are used on a smaller or larger size of connector than that for which the tool may be set-up for at any given moment. Additionally, it has been customary for each manufacturer to provide his own die sets with a particular configuration whereby the die sets of one manufacturer are not readily interchangeable with those of another.

The present invention, however, contemplates that a single tool may be made available for use with all kinds of compressible sleeve-type connectors, regardless of source, or size and without expensive die sets. This tool requires only a simple change of a pin-type stop to assure that only the exact amount of necessary deformation of the connector is produced. The dies for this tool may be actuated by the same type of hydraulic or pneumatic motor used with other tools by a simple conversion step.

The stated results are accomplished by providing-a pair of die members having properly configured compression surfaces. These members are so mounted in opposed relation to each other whereby they will define an opening such that, as the die members are moved one relative to the other, the size of the opening between the compressing surfaces thereof will be varied. Associated with one of the die members are removable selectively adjustable stop means such that movement of the other die member relative to the first mentioned die member will be limited. Thus, the size of the final opening that is defined between the compressing surfaces of the die members will be limited to a desired minimum to produce precise controlled compression of each connector regardless of its size. The stopmeans is so correlated with wire size that an operator need know only the Wire size. He can adjust the stop means to that wire size and be assured that the exact desired amount of com- 1* E g i i r 3,047,042

Patented July 31, 1962 pression of the connector with which he is working will result.

Generally, the compressing or deforming die members are provided with V-shaped working surfaces. One of the die members is movable toward the other die member in a guillotine-like fashion such that the V-shaped working surfaces define a diamond-shaped aperture which is reduced in size as the one die member moves relative to the other. A suitable housing is provided for the die members and one of the die members preferably is held stationary while the other is actuated through the medium of a hydraulic motor or the like.

Turning now to a detailed description of the device defined in the present invention, reference is made to the appended drawings forming a part of the-specification, and wherein PEG. 1 is a perspective View of a hydraulically operated compression tool for sleeve-type connectors defining the invention, the stop means used therewith being shown as removed therefrom, and

FIG. 2 is a partial, sectional view of the die assembly utilized in the device as shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it may be seen that the connector compressing tool includes a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder assembly 10 within which there is a movable piston and piston rod 16, as is conventional. The rod or working end 12 of the cylinder 10 is externally threaded. A housing 14, of generally rectangular configuration, is secured to the threaded end 12 such that the longest dimension of the rectangularly shaped housing parallels the direction of movement of the piston rod 16 (FIG. 2). The longest side 16' of housing 14 is provided interiorly with a pair of longitudinal grooves or recesses 18, 18. These grooves 18, 18' are so positioned that a plane passed through their centers would also bisect the center line of piston rod 16 and define longitudinal guides for a movable die member 20. Die member 2% is connected to piston rod 16 by any suitable means, such as a pin 25' or the like. Thus, as the rod 16 moves, die member 29 will also move in the housing 14 longitudinally thereof. Die member 20 is essentially a thickened plate-like member of such a thickness as to fit snugly within and yet be slidable along the guide slots 18 and 18'. As seen in FIG. 2, three edges of the platelike die 2% are planar while the fourth edge comprises the working face thereof. This latter face is comprised of a pair of coplanar land portions 22 interrupted by a central V-shaped portion comprised of outwardly diverging surfaces 24 and 26. As will also be apparent, the working face of this die 20, hereinafter referred to as the male die member, is opposite to that edge of the die member which is connected to the piston rod 16 such that movement of this rod in response to pressure in the cylinder assembly 10 will cause it to move toward or away from the bottom or end wall 17 of housing 14.

As seen in FIG. 2, the end of the housing 14 defined by base or bottom wall 17 and portions of side Walls 16 is also provided with a die member 30, hereinafter referred to as the female die member. The die member 3% may be comprised of a solid body of generally cubelike form partially bisected by a slot 32 roughly corresponding in width to slots 18 and 18' or alternatively, may be formed of identical members so spaced as to define slot 32 therebetween. This slot 32 is of such a dimension and so disposed as to readily receive the narrow dimension of male die 20, thus permitting the male die member 20 to move freely into and out of the female die member 50. Die member 30 is also provided with a V-shaped working face defined by outwardly divergent surfaces 34 and 36. This working face is so disposed as to be in opposed face-to-face relation with respect to the working face of male die 20 such 7 made.

will decrease. If no restraint is provided, the size of this aperture could be reduced to zero.

While it is true thata device as thus described could compress sleeve-type connectors, it has been found that excessive as well as too limited compression of such connectors is detrimental to good bonding of a connector 7 to a cable, wire, etc. .To prevent over compression, while assuring proper compression, some means must be provided whereby, for a given size connector, the minimum dimensions that can be defined between the working faces vof the die members 2% and 30 are limited to the exact desired value. To this end, female die member'30 is provided with a plurality of small related apertures 40. These apertures project through female die member 30 in a direction normal to the central plane of the slot 32 such that a pin member inserted within these apertures will pass across slot 32. Preferably, the pin used, as shown in FIG. 1, is a U-shaped readily manipulatable pin 45 having two parallel arms 46. Each arm registers with a separate aperture 40 in the female die member 30 such that as die member 29 moves guillotine-like into cfemale' die the coplanar lands 22 of die 20 will hit each leg of the pin simultaneously to limit the movement of the male die 20. In so doing, of course, this pin also acts to limit the minimum size of the diamond-shaped so-called working aperture.

The present invention contemplates, therefore, that the pairs of linearly spaced stop pin apertures 4% be so arranged that ;a definite relation exists between the working faces of the die members, their position and wire size. Thus, each pair of cooperating apertures for stop pin canbe assigned a wire size number, such as #1, #2, #6, as is conventional. As a result, the minimum opening that will be defined between the working faces of the die members 20, 30 at any one time will be such as to correspond exactly to the correct compression of any connector that is to be used for any one of these given sized wires, cables or the like. Thus, all one, has to do to change from one wire size to the other and thus adapt the tool for connectors of the proper size is to move the stop pin 45 into the correspondingly identified pair of stop apertures40 and the tool is ready for use.

Although the basic tool forming a manifestation of the invention has been thus described, it will become apparent that various modifications and changes in detail can be For example, the hydraulic motor assembly it? in the drawing is the same as that used on standard pipe benders. On the other hand, this motor could be specifically designed for use with the dies or alternatively, it could be an air powered or even an impact type motor if desired. 1

, Further, to prevent shearing of a connector by reason of sharp edges, it is often found that the edges of all working faces 24 and 26, and 34 and 36 of both die members 23 and 39 may be advantageously chamfered or rounded to reduce localized shear loads which will cause undesired shearing of a connector. Also, since sleeve-type connectors may be used to connect endless cables, it sometimes may be advantageous to form hous ing 14 with one portion of side wall 16' removed. This would permit side entry and exit of a connector and enable use of the tool on such installations. Slots 18 and 18' may also be continued inbottom wall 17 and a suitable opening provided therein to permit removal of die member 20 from housing 14 after die member 39 is removed along with removal pin 25. This latter arrangement is preferable.

Having thus described the invention, it will be apparent that the device permits the use of a single tool for proper compression of sleeve-type connectors for multiple wire sizes. It will also be apparent that various other changes and modifications than those mentioned may be made, all of which are within the purview of the instant invention. The invention, therefore, is limited only to the extent it is defined in the appended claims wherein What is claimed is:

1. In a compression tool for deforming sleeve-type connectors, a first die means and a second die means, means for moving said first die means relative to said second die means, a housing for supporting both of said die means and provided with guide means for guiding said first die means during the movement, thereof toward and away from'said second die means, said first die means having coplanar land portions and each of said die means being provided with generally V-shaped working faces disposed in cooperating opposed face-to-face relationship so as to define a contractible Workreceiving aperture therebetween, and selectably disposed stop meansprovided on said second die means for selectively engaging and limiting the movement of said first die meanswith respect to said second die means, said step means comprising a plurality of pairs of linearly spaced stop apertures and pin means insertable into selected pairs of said spaced apertures and engageable with the land portions of said first die means, the relationship of said spaced stop apertures being so correlated with thework-receiving aperture defined between the first and second die means whereby the minimum to which said work-receiving aperture can be reduced is a function of a pair of the stop apertures in which the pin means is inserted.

2. A compression device for deforming sleeve-like compression connectors'comprising a piston and cylinder assembly, a housing fixed to the said assembly, a first die means disposed in said housing and connected to said piston and cylinder assembly so as to be energized thereby, a second die means removably but rigidly mounted within said housing, guide means in said housing for said first die means, said second die means also having a slot which is in alignment with the guide means of said housing whereby said first die means may move into and out of said second die means, each of said die means having generally V-shaped working faces disposed in cooperating opposed face to face relationship defining therebetween a generally rectangular work-receiving aperture the dimensions of which can be varied by movement of said first die means toward and away from said second die means, coplanar land portions on said first die means, and stop means comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced apertures in said second die means and a pin selectively inserta-ble in predetermined pairs of said spaced apertures, said stop means being engageable by the coplanar land portions of said first die means whereby the movement of said first die means with respect to said second die.

means can be selectively controlled.

3. A compression device for deforming sleeve-like compression connectors comprising a piston and cylinder assembly including a piston rod movable into and out of said cylinder, a housing fixed to the cylinder of said piston and cylinder assembly, a first die means disposed in said housing and connected to said piston rod so as to be movable therewith, a second die means removably but rigidly mounted within said housing,'said housing also being provided with guide means for receiving said first die means, said second die means being provided with a slot which is in coplanar alignment with the guide means of the housing whereby said first die means may move into and out of the second die means, each of said die means having opposed generally V-shaped working surfaces which form a generally rectangular work-receiving aperture therebetween the dimensions of which can be varied by movement of said first die means toward and away from said second die means, said first die means also having coplanar land portions on each side of the working surfaces thereof and said second die means having stop means, said stop means comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced stop apertures in said second die means, a two-armed pin selectively insertable into a predetermined matched pair of said plurality of pairs of spaced stop apertures, the spacing of the stop apertures being so correlated with the work-receiving aperture defined between the first and second die means that the minimum to which the work-receiving aperture can be reduced is a function of the pair of stop aper tures in which the said pin is inserted.

4. A compression tool for deforming sleeve-like compression connectors comprising a stationary die means and a movable die means, each of said die means being provided with oppositely and angularly disposed working faces defining therebetween a work-receiving opening of generally rectangular configuration, the dimensions of which can be varied by movement of said movable die means toward and away from said stationary die means, said movable die means also being provided with coplanar land portions bounding the working faces thereof, and stop means provided on said stationary die means for selectively engaging and limiting the movement of the movable die means relative thereto, said stop means comprising a series of pairs of generally linearly spaced stop apertures on said stationary die means and a two-armed pin means insertable into selected pairs of said spaced stop apertures, said pin means being engaged by the coplanar land portions of the movable die means, the relationship of said spaced stop apertures and the workreceiving opening which can be defined between the Working faces of both die means being such that the compression that can be exerted on a connector disposed between said die means by movement of one die means relative to the other corresponds to the desired compression for the size of connector that is being deformed between said working faces as determined by the location of said pin means in the spaced stop apertures of the stationary die means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,241,377 Herbert Sept. 25, 1917 1,677,968 Hughes July 24, 1928 2,783,813 Duks Mar. 5, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 182,992 Germany May 4, 1907 80,423 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1919 522,224 France July 30, 1920 87,141 Switzerland Nov. 1, 1920 526,359 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1940 548,620 Canada Nov. 12, 1957 

